WORD OF THE WEEK: Pyrophile

Summary: Taken directly from the number 1 spot of Merriam-Webster.com's Top 10 List of Particular Kinds of Lovers, pyrophile in today's post shares a little etymology and a little of my own—and our country's—celebratory history.

Pyrophile (PIE - roe - FILE) - (n.) in essence, a pyromaniac. The exceptions are that a pyrofile may: (a) be drawn to volcanoes and/or staunchly hold tight to the notion that volcanic energy comes from a connection to the earth's core, or (b) love fireworks as much or more than fire, itself.

In this last sense of the definition, my husband is definitely a pyrophile! And it's fitting that the word should be this week's WOW: Not only is it the week of our nation's celebration of independence—with fireworks galore—but it's also the day after my 8th wedding anniversary. And, yes, as would be expected of anyone marrying on the 5th of July, our wedding was certainly celebrated with fireworks. In fact, I was impressed back then with my then-new partner's ingenuity: With the supervision of two of our firefighting friends (pyrophiles in their own rights), he custom-built a fireworks launcher to set up the evening's show. For five years after the event, we held an annual 4th of July-slash-anniversary party, inviting back many of our wedding guests, and hosting yet another fireworks show. It was always so fun!

This year, we had a smaller, more private event. Although there was no automation and sound to enhance our fireworks display, I got in on the old-fashioned, fuses-and-lighters-style fun. That's right: I lit my first large firework (and then several more), as my mate passed his pyrophile bug right on to me. Now I totally get what all the buzz is about.

So, happy Independence Day! Enjoy the rest of your week and your life of freedom. (And happy anniversary to my baby!)

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2011

WORD OF THE WEEK: Superlative

Summary: You've wanted the longest time for the return of the WOW. Well, wait no more, my biggest fan. This post—and its special word, superlative—is for you!

After posting relatively recently about the BEST WORD IN THE WORLD (hyperbole, of course), I've found myself drawn to some of its cousins—like today's featured word, superlative.

Superlative (soo - PUHR - la - TIV) - (adj.) excessive; supreme; surpassing; high quality; exaggerated. Most commonly, it refers to other words that are used to describe something with these qualities. You could say that it falls just shy of hyperbole.

First used in English in the 1300s, its Middle English spelling was superlatif. Its heritage comes most immediately from the Anglo-French word superlativus, which derives from the Latin superlatus, meaning to carry over high. Merriam-Webster.com—my favorite online dictionary, and the site I owe thanks to for regular pronunciation links like the one above—cites the following examples of superlatives: nicest, worst, and most interesting.

And did I mention: If you've missed the WOW Word of the Week posts as much as I have over the last couple of weeks, then you're the absolute coolest person I know? Those superlatives aren't just hyperbole, either.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2011

WORD OF THE WEEK: Homonym

Homonym (HOM - uh - NIM) - (n.) one of two or more words or phrases that are either: spelled the same, but have different meanings and perhaps pronunciations; pronounced the same, despite different spellings, and with different meanings; or spelled and pronounced alike, but different in meaning. Examples include the verb bow (before the king) versus the noun bow (as in bow and arrow); to, too and two; or bore (meaning to drill and also meaning to fail to entertain).

From the Greek words homos and onoma, meaning same and name, respectively, homonym was first used in English in the 1600s.

Thanks to my colleague Chris (and the great site StumbleUpon), I was recently introduced to Alan Cooper's Homonym List. This website includes an A-Z list of nearly every homonym, homophone and homograph in the English language. If you can think of a pair that isn't there, send it to Alan! And check out his "All About Homonyms" page that not only explains why he started the site, but includes his own invention of "Fractonyms"—broken words and phrases like a parent/apparent and 'fraid/frayed.

For even more definitions of this diverse word, visit Merriam-Webster.com.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Trivia

Summary: Just for fun, this week's WOW Word of the Week contains a little trivia quiz—about the word trivia!

Can you answer this trivia question: What is the origin of the word trivia?

According to my good online friend Merriam-Webster, the root words are Latin: tri (for three) and vium (for road). The original combination, trivialis, came to refer to inconsequential things. But why?

Romans commonly believed—again, according to our researching friends at the e-dictionary—that when three roads intersected, the walkers who used them could easily stop to greet each other and exchange brief pleasantries about where they were headed. Because these people were strangers, they would keep their topics light, or trivial.

In our own, American trivial pursuits (so to speak), we've come to use the word trivia itself as referring to the knowledge of somewhat meaningless facts, or those facts themselves.

Personally, I've been known to my friends as an expert it word trivia. No surprise there! In my younger years, I was even more of a music trivia ace, especially in the classic rock and top 40 genres. What are you an expert in?

TRIVIA (TRIH - vee - YUH) – unimportant matters; insignificant facts or details; a quizzing game involving obscure facts.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Camber & Crown

Summary: With a nod to the newly-engaged Prince William of the U.K., we look at some really royal-sounding words ... with surprisingly pedestrian meanings.

Thanksgiving may be over in 2010, but that doesn't mean we can just stop being thankful. I'm personally grateful to my friends at Merriam-Webster.com, who continue to give me so many wonderful words—including two this week to share with you. These come from Volume 2 of their "Words For Things You Didn't Know Have Names" list. (Remember philtrum from Volume 1?)

The first of this week's WOW words is crown. Sounds regal, doesn't it? But according to the list, it has a meaning you probably couldn't guess ... unless you work for the Department of Transportation:

Crown (KROWN) - The highest point in a road.

Come again? Excuse me? You mean to say roads aren't flat? That's right. Roads are built to slope at the shoulder, so that rain water and other spillage runs off, and so that cars can hug the road on curves at turns. On a two-lane road, with slopes on either side, there is a peak in the middle where the lanes meet. This is the crown, or the high point. Taken from the Latin word corona (which was originally a curved wreath or garland), crown moved on to mean anything curved—like the Greek laurels worn in decorative honor by scholars and athletic champions. And from there, it eventually defined the headpieces of royalty. (M-W.com can also tell you in more detail about crown's verb forms.) It's from this concept—think "crowning glory"—that the highest point in the road is called a crown.

Now I know you're wondering, "Do the slopes in the road have names?" But of course!

Camber (KAM - ber) - The curving slope of a road's surface that allows water to drain off. From the French word cambre, meaning curved, camber can also be used as a verb, as in "to arch slightly or curve upward in the middle."

And by the way, if you want another bonus word, try looking up pedestrian. It matches this week's WOW theme.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Plenary

Summary: As usual, I've got my ears open throughout my busy work week, looking for new words to learn and to share. This week's word, plenary, is defined in context below ...

Last week, I went to a luncheon provided by the Illinois chapter of the National Speakers Association (NSA). And I heard the President of the Philadelphia chapter, David Newman, give some wonderful pointers to people like me—people who strive to be hired as professional speakers in a tough economy. During a break, I heard something else that perked up my ears in almost as much intrigue: I heard David use a word I didn't know!

"It isn't plenary, because ..." I overheard him explain to someone who was asking about a particular aspect of NSA. And, of course, I mentally bookmarked the word and its context (what I'd heard of it, anyway) for both me and YOU.

Plenary (PLEH - neh - REE) also (PLEE - neh - REE) - (adj.) complete in every respect; absolute; qualified; also, something that's fully attended or constituted by all who are entitled to be present. From the original Latin plenus for full, this word entered English in the early 16th century. Example of usage: "The council isn't plenary, because some chapters don't participate."

I should note that Merriam-Webster.com lists the long E pronunciation—the one I've listed secondly above—as the most common pronunciation. I chose to put it second, because I heard David pronounce it the other way. I'll forever recognize this as the word I heard and learned at NSA!

(Psst! Do you love words like I do? Well, join me next week: I have a doozy of a resource for you that I hope to post on Monday.)

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Diaspora

This morning, during a long commute, a listened to an NPR (National Public Radio) interview with Comedy Central's Jon Stewart. In it, he used a word I've heard many times, but don't know by definition. So, of course, I just had to use it for this week's WOW Word of the Week.

Diaspora (DI - ASS - spohr - uh) - (n.) From the same Greek word that fathered dispersion, this word means scattered, as in people who are scattered far from their homeland. It can also mean the place where these people live, as well as the act of their migration. When capitalized, it refers specifically to Israel, the Jewish community of people who dwell in Israel, or the settling of their colonies their just after the Babylonian exile. The first known use of this word in English (according to our good friend, Merriam-Webster.com) was in 1881.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Travail

Summary: In honor of this week's three-day weekend, we take a look at the history of Labor Day with the WOW Word of the Week, travail.

How was your Labor Day? If you live in the U.S., you probably enjoyed a three-day weekend, taking Monday off of work—with full pay and benefits—to most likely spend some quality time with friends, family and the outdoors. I took a day off from blogging, myself.

What is Labor Day? North Americans (particularly Americans) are known for being hard-working almost to the point of addiction. (See the definition for workaholic.) Part of that tradition came from honoring the dedicated laborers of what's commonly known as the working class. These include blue collar workers, or traditionally, men who wore blue work shirts, such as those in the industrial fields of maintenance and construction. Beginning in the 1880s in New York City, Labor Day became a U.S. federal holiday in 1894. Today, it is more commonly known as a day that honors all workers and also serves as the symbolic end of summer.

With so many Americans unemployed this year, it was the end-of-summer/beginning-of-fall symbolism that was emphasized in most local events across the country: pools closed, parades marched, bonfires warmed the willing. But the unemployed didn't necessarily get a day off—nor did the working.

Another often unspoken tradition for Labor Day in America is yard work. Three-day weekends provide steady workers the opportunity to "catch up" on household projects. And in the fall, that often means cleaning the gutters, washing the windows, clearing out the garage and putting away the barbecue. It's part of the steady rhythm of American life, no matter what your job status. ... And, yes, it's what I did, too.

Whatever you did over the holiday weekend, today meant back to work for you—at your office, shop or home computer, as well as at school and on the job hunt. This week's word is for you:

Travail (TRA - vayl or tra - VAYL) - (v.) to work or to toil, often in hardship. Merriam-Webster.com uses this example sentence, fittingly: "Labor Day is the day on which we recognize those men and women who daily travail with little appreciation or compensation." From the French travailler, this word once meant to trouble or torture, but has since toned down a bit. It entered the English language in the 1300s.

Don't work too hard this week ....

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Hypengyophobia

Summary: I get a little personal in today's post and share some background about my relationship to leadership. Then I tell you how this week's word, hypengyophobia, is—or isn't—related to leadership.

With the lack of blog posts I've been making over the last few weeks, I'm beginning to think I may have hypengyophobia! What is that, you ask? Well, maybe you can break it down and take a guess or two ...

But first, let me tell you a little personal background: I've been a 'leader' throughout most of my life. But the fact of the matter is until I was in my teens, I tended to lead only from behind the scenes. Attention made me uncomfortable. And I just didn't see myself as someone others could look up to as a decision-maker. I've learned since that my younger sisters saw me quite differently than I saw myself.

Once I did start taking leadership positions—say, as the president of my church youth group or as the managing editor of my high school newspaper—I still struggled with speaking up and asking questions. Unfortunately for me (and everyone I was supposedly leading), I thought at that time that question-asking equaled weakness. I've learned since that asking questions and truly listening to answers are important aspects of leadership. So is humility. But that's a subject for another post. I think the most sincerely important role for any leader is to ask for help whenever it's needed. So, as I begin my search for interns to help me manage my time, I'm presently struggling with posting blogs as frequently as I'd like.

I'm not just sharing these little tidbits at random. They really are related to today's Word of the Week.

If you've studied your prefixes, suffixes and root words, you probably already know that phobia comes from the Greek for fear. The most recent Top Ten List from Merriam-Webster is another list of phobias (something I've blogged about before). I confess to having ochlophobia, fear of crowds, and a touch of amathophobia, or an aversion to dust bunnies. But before we go trading secrets—I'm just dying to know what you have, of course—let me explain today's WOW.

Hypengyophobia (HY - PEN - jee - o - FO - bee - yuh) – an abnormal fear of responsibility. Hypengyos is Greek for responsible. This word entered the English language in the late 1780s.

So, what words on the list strike terror in your heart? Better yet, what's your relationship to responsibility? And does depression—our present brain challenge—ever affect your abilities as a leader?

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

Submit Your WOW Words Today!

What words do you read, but don't understand? Every Monday, I blog about a new vocabulary word--I call it my Word of the Week post, or WOW for short. Since I have my pick of any word in the English language (and beyond), I have a lot of fun writing these posts each week. My favorite part is that I can select words I'm unfamiliar with, myself. ... Sometimes, I even pick words that are brand new to me, and I get the opportunity to expound my vocabulary (which I love!).

This week, you and I learned together about the word philtrum. Thanks to Merriam-Webster's top ten list series, there are all sorts of categorized words that we can continue to learn together.

But I'm most interested in learning what YOU want to know. So, what words do you sometimes see in print, but struggle to pronounce? Do you guess at their meaning in context only to doubt if you're getting it right? Submit the words you want to know today! And you could be reading about them--and understanding them in full--on a Monday soon to come.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Philtrum

Summary: WOW! It's time for our regular Monday "Word of the Week." The point of these posts is to introduce you to words you may not know--at least not in full. Today's word is spot-on, as it comes from a list of words few people are familiar with. Read on!

Merriam-Webster.com has a fun series of Top Ten Lists--words that frequently stump you, come from Biblical or Shakespearian roots or have multiple meanings, for example. Their newest list contains ten words, in their words, "for things you didn't know had names." Number one is philtrum.

The whole list is interesting, but I can see why this one was given top billing: It certainly caught my attention! Philtrum is a Latin word derived from the Greek phileo for fondness, especially in the form of a kiss as a mark of tenderness. It's technically a medical term today, used to describe the little divot above the upper lip, or the indentation that starts at the top of the "heart" in a heart-shaped mouth (see accompanying photo).

Greeks also used the word philtrum to mean love potion. As Merriam-Webster shares online, this suggests that "seductive powers were attributed to this facial feature."

The pronunciation for this word is FIL-truhm.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Octopus

Summary: Getting back in the swing of things after two dilatory weeks, we kick off today's WOW Word with a little help from a little friend ...

Today is officially my last day of my long holiday weekend. Unofficially, it should be over by now, but I'm lucky enough to have some houseguests who are still in town. And today, we're trekking to Shedd Aquarium.

My 5-year-old niece, Kora, has been kind enough to provide me with this week's word: octopus.

Last night, we were reading a book about shapes before bedtime. When we read the word octagon, Kora was careful to remind me that the pronunciation is octa- (with an A), not octo- (with the O)--unlike octopus. We've also been playing with some "cool toys" (her words), one of which is a sky blue, plastic octopus.

You probably already know that an octopus is a sea creature--specifically, a cephalopod (look that one up on your own!) mollusk with eight muscular 'arms' that are fully equipped with rows of suction-cup-like mechanisms, simply called suckers. The word comes from the Greek oktopous, meaning eight-footed, and was named in English in the year 1758. Broadly speaking, an octopus can be anything with eight arms or branches. Today's WOW (Word of the Week) lesson isn't just about the word octopus, mind you; in light of our sea-themed adventures today, it's also about the creature, itself.

Octopus Facts for Kids (condensed from Buzzle.com):
- An octopus doesn't have any vertebrae; in fact, it's completely boneless.
- An octopus has three hearts!
- Its life span will vary from six months to a couple of years; the larger-sized variations live longer.
- Some octopus species can be as large as 23 feet.
- It lives in holes in the sea floor (or wreckage on the sea floor) or in crevices of rocks.
- It's a night hunter that eats crabs, mollusks and crayfish.

For the grown-up readers, you may be interested in noting that octopuses (also pluralized as octopi) are being studied more and more frequently in laboratory settings and in captivity. According to a recent article in Discovery Brain Magazine, scientists have witnessed some intriguing behavior: Cameras captured untended octopus creatures leaving their tanks at night--some of them even lifting lids and picking locks--to dine on crabs and other 'food' in the labs that were dwelling in separate tanks. They may be some of the so-called smartest creatures with such short life spans.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010 The included illustration comes from Merriam-Webster.com.

WORD OF THE WEEK: Thing

Summary: You may think today's vocabulary word post is a cop-out, but it's really no such thing! Read on to learn more about an everyday word with a lot of different uses.

I asked my husband today what this week's vocabulary word should be, and he comically replied, "Thing!" The fact is, it's one of his favorite words, and it's a great standby for a lot of people I know (myself included). Maybe it is for you, too--when the word you really want is on the tip of your tongue, perhaps? Thing is a great substitute then. In fact, it's great for a whole lot of words!

Just for fun, I looked it up in my favorite online dictionary, Merriam-Webster.com, and guess what? The word thing has ten definitions! I was surprised, especially when I started reading them.

But before I get into that, here's thing's etymology:

From Middle English, thing (sounding just like it's spelled) entered the contemporary English language before the Twelfth Century. Originally from the Gothic word for time, it transmuted into Old High German as ding and then into today's thing.

Now, let's look at only half of the definitions. (To get the other half, check out the link above):

(1) a matter of concern, such as a situation or event ("How are things with you?" or "That oil spill thing sure is tragic");
(2) a deed, act or accomplishment (as in, "I see you doing great things in the future");
(3) possessions, effects ("She packed her things and headed out the door");
(4) a miscellaneous object or object unable to be categorized ("Use this thing for now");
(5) a mild obsession or phobia; conversely, a specialty or forte (as in, "She has this thing about germs" versus "Cooking is his thing").

Can you guess which thing best defines my husband's favorite use of this very versatile word?

Oh, and here's one more thing: The interesting thing about thing is it's always a noun, so it's never conjugated into anything else (besides something or nothing or little things like that). What do you think about thing?

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Phobia

Summary: Every Monday, Beyond Talk explores one word—including pronunciation, definition and etymology—to help you improve your vocabulary. Today, we look at a word that goes with our current blog post series on fear: phobia.

Fear is a human response. We may not like it much, but the fact is, it's adaptive: Fear protects us from harm by sending signals to our brains that make us fight for survival or flee for safety. Sometimes, however, fear makes us freeze up and sends us into an unnecessary panic that prevents our ability to assess the situation clearly. This is when the natural reaction of fear changes from friend to enemy.

A phobia (FO - BEE - ya) is a fear-based belief system that petrifies, or freezes, someone with fright. From the original Greek phobos for fear, this word entered into common English usage in 1786. According to Merriam-Webster.com, it is "an exaggerated, usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects or situation."

Common phobias include:
Acrophobia - fear of heights
Agorophobia - an extreme fear of open spaces (highly extreme sufferers sometimes refuse to leave their home for years on end)
Arachnaphobia - fear of spiders
Cynophobia - an excessive fear of dogs
Hydrophobia - fear of water (also a symptom of rabies)
Mysophobia - the compulsive fear of dirt and germs
Pteromerhanophobia - fear of flying
Trypanophobia - the fear of shots, needles, injections

For more phobia categories, check out this online Top 10 List, also from Merriam-Webster. (Number 10 is, darkly, my favorite.) We all have some aversions. What makes you phobic?

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Words of the Year (or Don't Admonish My Tweets)

Summary: Experts are releasing their lists of top words of the year—those most looked-up in online dictionaries, most searched on the internet, and most overused in society. ... Let's not admonish them for their findings 'til we've read their results!

Last year (also known as last week), Merriam-Webster.com released its list of most looked-up words. Top of the list of 10 was admonish. Why? According to the site's Editor-at-Large, Peter A. Sokolowski:

"Admonish shot to the top of the list three days after Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst during a speech made by President Obama ... when the House announced plans to admonish Rep. Wilson .... While this particular story wasn't very important in the context of a year's worth of news," Sokolowski said, "it triggered enormous interest in this word."

To admonish (AD - MON - ish) another is to express warning or disapproval, especially in a gentle, earnest or solicitous manner (again, according to Merriam-Webster.com). This verb entered the English language sometime in the 14th century from the Latin admonere, meaning to warn. A good example sentence is, "After their business luncheon, her boss admonished her for contradicting their client over the amount of the waitstaff's tip."

Other sites chose their words-of-the-year picks—for both cheers and jeers: Discovery News selected Twitter as its most-searched word (according to Microsoft) back in November, before the year's end, while Lake Superior State University admonished popular culture with its annual "Banished Words" list. (Included for the entrance to 2010 were all things e-networking, like tweet and unfriend.)

Follow the links above for a real education in modern word usage in 2010! And if you want to truly show off, share with me just how many of these listed words you can put together in one sentence. I dare you ....

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Of Perianths & Prefixes

Summary: This week's featured vocabulary word is perianth, made up in part by the prefix peri-. The definitions and an illustration, courtesy of Merriam-Webster.com, are displayed in this post.

This week's word features a common American English prefix (so, if you've been studying your prefix and suffix lists like a good vocabulary student, you're already familiar with it): Peri-. In and of itself, peri- means "around, near or enclosing." And the word perianth refers to the sepal, or leaf, near or sometimes fused with and enclosing the petal of a flower—such as in the illustration below. (This illustration comes from Merriam-Webster.com, with thanks.)



cross section of flower 1b: 1 filament, 2 anther, 3 stigma, 4 style, 5 petal, 6 ovary, 7 sepal, 8 pedicel, 9 stamen, 10 pistil, 11 perianth

The remainder of the word comes from the Greek word anthos which literally means "flower," and entered the English language shortly after 1800. For a sound bite of the pronunciation of perianth (PER-ee-ANTH), click here.

What other words do you know that feature the prefix peri-? (Hint: click the word's link in the photo illustration for more!)

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2009

WORD OF THE WEEK: Sign (Language) of the Times

Happy Labor Day! After a feast with my in-laws today (following yesterday's requisite yard work), I casually perused the internet, looking for a Word of the Week that would allow me to re-address that newbie 'net word pwn from a couple of weeks ago. What I found—a list of New Words for 2009 on Merriam-Webster.com—really jumped out at me: From acai to zip line, the newest dictionary additions speak volumes about what's important or timely in American culture.

But it was some of the words in between that really made me think. Environmentally related words and phrases like carbon footprint, green collar, and locavore (LO-ka-VORE—one who eats locally grown food as often as possible) show a shift in the devil-may-care attitude about the planet that was so prevalent in the Twentieth Century. There are health-related words, like cardioprotective, naproxen, neuroprotective, pharmacogenetics, and phyisatry, that show how proactive we've become about our health care. Our fascination with electronic entertainment, as well as with celebrity, are reflected in such hot new terms as fan fiction, flash mob, frenemy, vlog and webisode. Our global connections are reinforced with the induction of foreign words: goji, haram, reggaeton. Even the economic recession is addressed in something as simple as staycation (stay-KA-SHUN—a vacation spent at home or nearby; possibly popular, I'm assuming, with locavores).

I could go on even more about these newly-added words, but I'll let you look and decide for yourself. What jumps out at you when you read the list?

One more note: Thanks to my friend Chad, who happens to work as a beta-tester for gaming companies (and thanks, too, to a little help from television), I've learned that there are a couple of ways to pronounce pwn: PONE or POON. And there's also a secondary definition, that of a newcomer to a multi-player online game. Whether in its verb form ("I pwned you that round!") or its noun form ("You don't know what you're doing, you pwn"), it's still always an insult. And that's yet another reason for keeping up with the latest language of the times!

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2009

TRULY SPEAKING: How Do You Spell Relief?—Seriously, I Don't Know!

This week's word is onomatopoeia—a word I've known, recognized, and been able to use in a sentence since high school. Yet I still had to look it up in my computer's dashboard dictionary before I wrote Monday's blog post.

Why? I can't spell onomatopoeia: There are too many vowels that make too many different sounds, not to mention I frequently want to put a T in place of the N at the beginning (probably because I pronounce the word so quickly that I don't enunciate, thereby confusing even myself with what I'm really saying).

It's pretty easy to spell onomatopoeia—that is, to spell onomatopoeic words, like crunch, munch, whomp, and buzz. But what happens when you want to spell something harder? How do you look up a word if you don't know how to spell it—especially if, when you sound it out to try and spell it, you're sounding it out incorrectly? What then?

My dashboard dictionary was little help. I suspect my regular print dictionary would have yielded the same mystifying results. Luckily, many online dictionaries will auto-generate words with similar spellings to the one you're trying. I used my favorite standby, Merriam-Webster.com, and was kindly asked, "Did you mean ...?" to help me find the right word with the right spelling.

According to author and college instructor Dustin Wax, "a study of Fortune 500 human resource employees were published, saying that of the people they had interviewed, some 85% threw away a resume or cover letter that had as little as one or two spelling errors. The logic was, if you didn’t care enough about your application to make sure everything was spelled correctly, then you couldn’t be trusted to care enough about your job—where a tiny spelling error might undo an important business deal or cost the company money." Spelling counts!

To read Wax's helpful article—with links to other spelling resources—click here. And remember these pointers:

1. Making a list of words that commonly trip you up is helpful. Once you've identified these tricky terms, practice reading and writing them as often as possible—with the correct spelling!

2. One of the best helpers for finding proper (and improper) word spellings is the spell-checker tool in word processing programs, such as Microsoft Word. Work with this feature turned on regularly, and pay attention to which phrases, proper names, and other words are repeat offenders in your writing. (This will help you, too, with Pointer #1.)

3. If you're seriously committed to improving your spelling, you might want to work with a pro: Just as you can hire the services of a professional speech or writing coach, you can also work with a spelling coach. Many competitors in the National Spelling Bee contest have done so—with amazing results.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2009

WORD OF THE WEEK: SAT Sagacity

I have a cousin who will soon be taking the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) to enter graduate school. My aunt, her mother, recently contacted me about helping to improve my cousin's vocabulary. This week's word comes directly from the SAT (commonly formerly known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test and still taken by high schoolers before entry into undergraduate college): sagacity.

To be sagacious is to possess keen discernment and wisdom. To have sagacity is the same. The word comes from the Latin sagac, sagax or sagire, all meaning "to perceive keenly." It's akin to sagus, or prophetic. By the way, it can also be proper to conjugate sagacity as sagaciousness.

Vocabularly can be very elusive to many people. But keeping up with new words—whether weekly or even daily—can really improve anyone's ability to speak and understand. It aids IQ points, test scores, workplace and personal relationships, as well as general navigation of one's world.

In addition to this blog, there are several sources that can add words to your lexicon via regular e-mail to your in-box. Here is a small-but-helpful list you would be wise to use:

A.Word.A.Day
Dictionary.com
MyDictionary.com
YourDictionary.com
Urban Dictionary
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(c) KiKi Productions, Inc. 2009

WORD OF THE WEEK: A Beautiful Noun

Here is one of my favorite nouns: credenza. It's beautiful! But, my, what a dark history it has. Here is its etymology, according to Merriam-Webster online and Wikipedia:

Credenza: from the Italian "credenza"; literally, "belief" or "confidence"; from the Medieval Latin "credentia"; anecdotally, the 16th century act of credenza was "the tasting of food or drinks by a servant for a lord or important person (like popes and cardinals). With this taste they [ascertained] the food was not poisoned. The name then passed to the room where the act took place, then to the furniture."

Today, a credenza is most commonly known as a sideboard used in a dining room or restaurant for serving food buffet style and/or storing dishes for food service. It's also "a modern desk form usually placed next to a wall as a secondary work surface to that of another desk ... in a typical executive office." The desk version of a credenza can also be used to store books, files or other work items.

From potentially-poisoned food-tasting to housing the boss's stationery, the credenza has come a long way in the last 500-some years, although the word's spelling and sound primarily remain the same. What's your favorite noun? And do you know its history?

(c) KiKi Productions, Inc. 2009